Bracelet.



J. D. KIRBY.

BRACELET.

APPLIGATIOH'IILBD JULY 18.1910.

993,303, Patented May 23,1911.

Fig. 6

$61M; 96.1w Jam s B ma ATTORNEY IERS co., WASHINGTON. o, c,

stairs rag JAMES D. KIR-BY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HANLON- THORNTON COMPANY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BRACELET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES D. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bracelets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to expansible bracelets and has for its object to provide each of the overlapping ends of the resilient wire of which the bracelet is constructed with a thimble which serves the combined purpose of a cap and a guide by means of which the resilient wire ends are retained in position and guided to slide back and forth in expanding the bracelet to pass over the hand of the wearer.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of-certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the complete bracelet with my improved cap and guide thimble connected to both of the overlapping ends. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating one of the thimbles in section, the same being applied to the resilient wire. Fig. 8* shows the oblong cup form into which this thimble is drawn from the blank. Fig. 4: is a perspective view illustrating the middle portion of the thimble as being pressed together forming two chambers one to receive the end of the wire and serve as a cap, the other chamber to permit the wire to pass therethrough and serve as a guide. Fig. \5 is an end view of the thimble. Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of guide and connector.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main or body portion of the bracelet which portion is constructed of wire or other suitable material, the same being preferably resilient or springy so as to permit the bracelet to expand while being passed over the hand of the wearer and then to return to its normal size. An ornamentation 2 may be attached to this bracelet, if desired, the same being preferably provided with loops 3 and 4 through which the wire may pass and be secured to one of these loops by any freely therethrough so as not to interfere with the straightening of that section between the loops in the expansion of the bracelet. The opposite ends 5 and 6 of this bracelet preferably overlap or extend beyond each other a short distance, the object being to connect the free end of one to the adjacent portion of the other so as to hold each end in its proper position, and at the same time guide the ends while the bracelet is expanding. To accomplish this in a simple, inexpensive and very efiective manner I have formed a somewhat elongated or oblong cup or thimble 7, see Figs. 3 and 5, and drilled or punched out one portion of the bottom of this cup, as at 8 see Fig. 5, to permit one of the wires to freely pass therethrough, said punched portion thereby forming a guide, while the other portion 9 of the bottom is left continuous to receive the end of the adjacent wire and form a cap for the same. These thimbles are preferably connected to the wire in the manner best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, which is by passing the opposite ends of the wire through the guide eyes 88 in each thimble and into the closed pockets of the opposite thimble, then swaging the walls of the middle portion 10 of each thimble down in such manner that the continuous or unpunched portions of the thimbles will be bound firmly onto the tip ends of the wire so that they cannot be removed therefrom, at the same time forming a tubular bearing in each thimble through which a parallel wire portion may freely pass. In order to facilitate the fastening of these thimbles on the ends of the Wire without the use. of solder, said wire may be upset, scored, or recessed near its ends as shown at 11 in Fig. 2, into which recesses the stock of the thimble may be pressed thereby rendering the use of solder quite unnnecessary in this fastening.

Other devices of this character are usually made in two parts and soldered together requiring considerable heat, which soldering operation, as is well known, in many instances destroys the plating and is otherwise objectionable. To punch out the bottom of both compartments of the thimble forming substantially a band embracing both the end of the wire and that portion adjacent to it as shown in Fig. 6 would still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

11y improved guide thimble is extremely neat in appearance, is inexpensive of construction, and effective in its operation. It lies flat upon the arm, and will not hurt, injure or irritate the wearer. By forming each cap or thimble complete in one piece and applying them by pressure to the wire the whole operation may be done Without the use of solder, thereby permitting these thimbles, as well as the wire of the bracelet itself, to be made of a thinner plated stock than could be used if the plating were obliged to withstand the high temperature necessary for soldering.

I claim:

1. An expandible bracelet comprising a single piece of spring wire having overlapping ends and two guides and connectors each consisting of a single piece of metal having its walls at its middle portion contracted forming two separate compartments one of which receives and is secured to one end of the wire, the other compartment forming an elongated guide bearing, and said middle portion forming a connector between said first compartment and said bearing whereby each bracelet end is sup 3 ported and connected to a portion of the wire adjacent said end.

2. An expandible bracelet comprising a single piece of spring wire having overlapping ends, and two guides and connectors 3 eachfconsisting of a single piece of metal having a cup-form, the walls of which at their middle are contracted formingtwo separate compartments one of which receivcs and is secured to one end of the Wire, 4

JAMES D. KIRBY.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, G. CRossLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

